Wildfires are everywhere. They continue to spread and increase in size. But despite a growing field of evidence suggesting that climate change is making the conditions for fire more likely, research finds that the total area burned by wildfires each year decreased by up to a quarter in the past two decades. Many regions experience distinct wildfire seasons, driven by rainy and dry periods and human practices, such as agricultural burning. However, other regions have a risk of fire year-round. North America, the Amazon, southern Africa and parts of Australia tend to see an uptick in fires from around August to late November. These months coincide with the height of the dry season in southern Africa and the Amazon. 2020 has been full of fires from the Australian Bush fires in the beginning of the year to the arctic fires across Siberia that threatened to release long held carbon. At the moment the US and Africa are burning. North America, Africa, and The Amazon are in the heat of fire season which is bringing poor air quality, loss of housing, and deforestation. Although this feels like an act of climate change it is not. The total area burning is down from the past two decades. Some things that we can do is, donating money and supplies to firefighters as well as being environmentally conscious. This includes taking public transportation, watering your lawn less, and using reusable bags at the grocery store. Anything and everything helps our Earth heal.
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